The Firebrand

ch. The Cristino soldiery, having fraternised with the Abbey cooks, and having been treated well from the Abbey cellars

and novice, lay-brother and serving-man, only two, the Abbot Baltasar and the gloomy Confessor, knew that the Abbey of the Virgin, after existi

o the Confessor, even a sentence of immediate execution could no

came in through their open windows, the Psalms chanted in a strange tongue, the walks to the caves of the hermits, and the sanctuaries of the saints scattered up and down the mountain steeps, had gone far to convince John Mortimer that there had been relig

bitterly the Palais Royal and its joys), haunted him with offers to convey mission or missi

cell, these were in future to be the simple daily pleasures of Brother Hilario, late Count of Saint Pierre. Never more would he sing a lus

till the day when, the inhabitant of one of its rocky cells, he should be found dead upon a stiff frosty morning, and the bones of

rs of age and a Frenchman, with the blood of youth running very hotly in his veins; and, secondly, unless

stricted. Nevertheless, the affair of the Priorato wine went forward apace, and the bargain was struck with the almoner of the convent at a rate which satisfied all parties. John Morti

e ignored, and many were the speculations among the brethren as to what might be the

se of Montblanch. For though the brethren used the dearest privilege of all brotherhoods-that of grumbling freely a

ung man. He met his Scottish caution w

ir outposts are watching us even now. A fugitive was pursued to the very altar of sanctuary the other night! What! You saw him? Ah, of course, it was the

andly, turning his quick frank eyes upon the Prior. "Not dea

m with his eyes thou

would," he said slowly, a

m a career. Indeed, I have at present a mission in hand such as might make the fortune of any brave man. It is worth a general's commission if rightly carried through. Not many young men have such a chance at twenty-two. A

tly; "the cowards did not mean fig

great deal better than you, and it was a very great d

nestly thought nothing of the affair, and did not wish the Abbot, if he had i

policy for those who would go far. Also I think that you

the plunge. Perhaps even his steadfast

ervously, with the sharp staccato utterance with

ceed, Don Carlos will assuredly sit on the throne of his fathers; if you fail, there is an end. But it is necessary that you should carry with you

m to go t

t you. It is, as you may know, a palace on the slopes of the Guadarrama

id Rollo. "Fighting is very well, but I am not going

ou have to do is to bring two amiable and Catholic ladies here-the Lady Cristina and her little maid. They are eager to be reconciled to mothe

undertake the task; but as to those who are ther

ish you with such escort as may be thought desirable. You will also receive from him detailed orders as to what you must do when you arrive at La

s to be the fate of those who might be taken at La Granja in the co

a for shipment. It was only after he had seen the Nationalist guards stave in cask after cask of his beloved wine, on which he was depending to lay the foundation of his fo

t me ship the property I have bought and paid good earnest money upon!

rmy of Don Carlos in Rollo's breast-pocket, a monopoly promise of all the Priorato wine for six years in that of John Mortimer,

say which of the th

mphantly, slapping the pocket which contained the Abbot's undertaking about the Priorato. "It is as go

only,

nd into his pocket, and touched the c

mmand," he said. "I hear these Car

t sight of the monastery towers, that he threw his pocket breviary into a ditch, and concealed carefully the jewelled cruci

-a simple Gallegan peasant by his dress

ied, "we pass through the v

y, like red coals in a smith's furnace, and with a strange

the lads his benediction, and watched them out of sight.

ey carry enough to hang them all a dozen times over. But praise to St. Vincent and al